Strauss Zelnick already has a job and says he has no intention of becoming the next CEO of CBS

For weeks, speculation had swirled in New York media circles that Strauss Zelnick was seeking the position of CEO of CBS.

The current head of Take-Two Interactive used his speech at the 2018 Paley International Council summit in London to quash any such speculation. When asked by investment banker Aryeh Bourkoff if he would be interested in becoming the CEO of a media company, Zelnick flatly replied “no.”

“I will add a few more words: unequivocally, absolutely not. This is not a deal,” said Zelnick, a media entrepreneur who was named interim chairman of the CBS board to replace Richard Parsons, who stepped down in October for health reasons.

After more than a dozen women came forward to accuse him of sexual aggression, there was much speculation about who might run for the position vacated by Les Moonves. The media company’s newly formed board of directors has tapped executive search firm Korn Ferry to potentially help fill the CEO position. According to the informant, the search is expected to last another four months.

Interim CEO Joe Ianniello has sought to prove he is worthy of the job by making a series of executive appointments to round out the executive team. The media company’s longtime financial strategist received strong praise from Wall Street after delivering his first quarterly report in the top job.

Some New York media circles saw Zelnick, who has close ties to CBS’s controlling shareholders, the Redstone family, play a role in the fight for the top job. This seems unlikely in light of Friday’s remarks.

“This is an incredible endeavor and I am truly grateful to be on the board and to serve,” Zelnick said in remarks at the Paley event. “However, the role of the non-executive chairman is, of course, to convene meetings and support the company’s management in its development, building and creating value in the company. That’s it.”